Mr. Albany bidt met zijn kinderen en dienstmeisjes naast het bed van de bewusteloze Cecilia 1787

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this print, titled 'Mr. Albany bidt met zijn kinderen en dienstmeisjes naast het bed van de bewusteloze Cecilia,' using etching. This image presents a scene of domestic life in a specific cultural context. It invites us to consider the social hierarchies and religious practices of the time. Likely created in 18th-century Europe, it would have been shaped by the prevailing religious and social norms, where family prayer and the role of servants were commonplace. The visual codes within the print, such as the kneeling figures and the presence of a sickbed, convey themes of piety, familial duty, and mortality. The composition reflects a structured household, emphasizing the roles of family members and servants within that structure. To understand this artwork fully, we might explore historical texts on family life, religious customs, and social hierarchies, gaining insight into the values and beliefs that influenced its creation.